The Hastings Council Standards Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 8 October 2025 to discuss a review of the Councillor Code of Conduct and consider whether any changes are needed. They will also look at a recommendation from the Working Arrangements Group that non-voting co-opted members should sign a written agreement to follow the Councillor Code of Conduct.

Code of Conduct Review

The Standards Committee is expected to discuss the Councillor Code of Conduct at the meeting. According to the report pack, the existing code, adopted in July 2012 to comply with the Localism Act 2011¹, has not been reviewed for some time.

The report pack states that the committee will consider the Local Government Association (LGA) Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020, which was created following a 2019 report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSL) that noted inconsistencies in the quality and clarity of codes of conduct across England. The LGA Model Code of Conduct includes guidance on social media, bullying and harassment.

The report pack includes a table that sets out the main differences between the current Hastings Borough Council Code of Conduct and the LGA Model Code. These include:

• Nolan Principles: The Model Code includes 'general principles of councillor conduct' developed specifically for the role of councillor and based upon the seven Nolan Principles[^3]. [^3]: The seven Nolan Principles are selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
• Scope: The Model Code applies to all forms of communication, including social media.
• Respect: The Model Code refers to treating other councillors, the public, staff, volunteers and partner organisations with respect, and includes a definition and guidance of respectful behaviour.
• Equality: The Model Code includes an obligation for councillors to promote equalities and not discriminate against any person unlawfully. It also requires councillors not to harass any person, in addition to bullying.
• Confidentiality: Under the Model Code, councillors are required to consult with the Monitoring Officer prior to releasing confidential information in good faith or on public interest grounds.
• Use of resources: The Model Code allows for the use of resources for political purposes where that use could be reasonably regarded as likely to facilitate the discharge of the functions of the local authority or the councillor's office.

The report pack notes that, within East Sussex, only Rother District Council has adopted the Model Code in full. East Sussex County Council Standards Committee considered the Model Code in April 2021 and resolved to maintain the current code, and did so again following a further review in April 2024.

The report pack also includes the views of the Independent Persons, John Baker and Amanda McIntyre, on the Model Code.

John Baker suggests keeping the existing Hastings Borough Council Code up to the heading Scope and replacing the sections titled Scope and General Obligations with the LGA Code's sections: Application of the Code of Conduct and General Conduct . He also recommends maintaining the existing code's version of the sections on interests and registration, and maintaining the written undertaking.

Amanda McIntyre recommends having the Seven Principles of Public Life up front rather than in the appendix, and favours the first-person explanations of the principles in the LGA Model Code of Conduct.

The report pack also refers to a 2024 government consultation on 'strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities' which included proposals for changes to the existing standards regime and suggested the introduction of a prescribed Code of Conduct to be set out in legislation.

According to the report pack, the Working Arrangements Group considered the LGA Model Code in July 2025 and agreed that the Code of Conduct should be as clear as possible in setting the expectations for councillors' behaviour. They recommend adopting sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 of the LGA Model Code of Conduct, and maintaining section 6 of the existing code instead of adopting sections 6 and 7 of the Model Code. They also recommend keeping section 7 of the existing code as there is no analogous obligation in the Model Code.

The report pack states that any proposed amendments to the Code of Conduct will need approval of Full Council.

Code of Conduct for Co-opted Members

The Standards Committee is also expected to consider a recommendation from the Working Arrangements Group that non-voting co-opted members sign a written undertaking to observe the obligations in the Councillor Code of Conduct.

According to the report pack, non-voting co-opted members are not covered by the Localism Act 2011 framework, and it is up to the council to decide how to set and enforce standards of conduct. The report pack states that best practice recommends that non-voting co-opted members voluntarily sign the Councillor Code of Conduct (or an adapted version) and agree to follow its obligations when acting in their role.

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

The Standards Committee is also scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 June 2025. According to the minutes, at that meeting, Mary Kilner, Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer, presented a report detailing the complaints received since the last annual meeting. The minutes also state that the committee discussed the government consultation on the future of the local authority standards framework in England, and the LGA model Code of Conduct.